This invention relates to a process for making an edible low cholesterol, functional animal muscle protein composition, a process for making the composition and a process of using the composition to retain moisture in cooked food. More particularly, this invention relates to such a protein composition and process that utilizes animal muscle protein to retain moisture in food and to the food product utilized in the process.
Prior to the present invention, protein compositions derived from animal muscle tissue have been available for human consumption as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,005,073; 6,288,216 and 6,451,975 as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/161,171, filed Jun. 4, 2002. Unfortunately these compositions contain cholesterol, which is believed to be detrimental to heart health. Typical cholesterol concentrations in meat, seafood, poultry and meat products such as bologna or bratwurst range from about 40 mg. to about 130 mgs. per 100 grams of the meat, seafood, poultry or meat product, “Guide to Low Cholesterol Foods”, North Central Regional Extension Publication 335, in cooperation with Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture, March 1995. Presently proposed United States Food and Drug Administration regulations would label a food (a) with fewer than 2 mg. cholesterol per serving as “cholesterol-free”, (b) with fewer than 20 mg cholesterol per serving as “low cholesterol” and (c) with at least 75% less cholesterol per serving than the original product, “reduced cholesterol”.
In addition, prior to the present invention, it has been known that meat or fish cooked at an elevated temperature loses its moisture to the surrounding atmosphere. In so doing, the cooked meat or fish undesirably loses its natural or added flavors so that it becomes less tasteful. Fluid loss during cooking of meat or fish can range up to 30% to 40% by weight based upon the weight of the meat or fish prior to cooking. A prior solution for retaining moisture in the meat or fish without additives took the form of wrapping the meat or fish in a solid moisture barrier such as aluminum foil. This solution is undesirable since the surface of the meat or fish remains soft rather than having a desirable crust.
Prior attempts to retain moisture in cooked meat or fish with additives have included the use of sodium tripolyphosphate, a coating of fat free flour, based, batter containing an egg white substitute (U.K. Patent Application 2,097,646), water-in-oil emulsion (U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,081), protein or protein isolate and a fat (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,261 and 4,935,251), milk solids (U.S. Pat. No. 2,282,801) and lecithin (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,470,281 and 3,451,826).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a low cholesterol edible protein composition derived from animal muscle tissue to provide a more healthy food product as compared to the animal muscle tissue containing its original concentration of cholesterol. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide such a form of fish or meat which is no less nutritional than the original fish or meat to be cooked. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a form of fish or meat wherein the majority of moisture or added flavors or spices in the uncooked fish or meat is retained during cooking.